The controversy over Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh’s order to Air India pilots and cabin crew to put in more flying hours reached the Delhi High Court on Monday with the court asking the pilots’ union to give details of the “drastic” changes in flight duty time limitations (FDTL).

Justice Suresh Kait also asked the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) to file an additional affidavit with detailed information on changes made by Air India in the FDTL in pursuance of Singh’s order. The court would now hear the matter on October 5.

The ICPA, in its plea, has sought setting aside the minister’s order asking the national carrier to “immediately implement” the guidelines of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which asked pilots and cabin crew to put in more flying hours.

“The pilots are not taxi drivers who can be asked to go to Gurgaon from Delhi after a long drive just to optimise the use of the workforce,” said ICPA counsel Mukul Rohatgi.